


What We Thought Was Unrequited

by Floofy_Emo



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cussing, Forgot to write anything about Keith’s dog, M/M, Shiro is mentioned, Soulmate AU, Soulmate Strings, curse words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 08:39:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15725874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floofy_Emo/pseuds/Floofy_Emo
Summary: James didn’t understand why his soulmate did what they did, and Keith just wanted to keep his heart safe.





	What We Thought Was Unrequited

It hurt. Plain and simple. Seeing everyone he knew spend all their time with someone else who loved them back. While he was alone. James had never really understood why his soulmate had done it. He didn’t think he ever would, but he felt the pain everyday. The void his soulmate had left. What he left when he cut their string. He remembers the day in stunning detail. Who wouldn’t really? The day his soulmate decided he didn’t want him. The red string that had shined such a bright ruby red now faded to a cold gray. It laughed at him. Even now. He looked at the gray string tied in a bow on his ring finger. His eyes began to fog, it would never stop hurting, but maybe one day, he’d find the one who did this and ask them why. Why they had rejected him, why they had decided to leave him alone without his other half.

•••

It had been a year since Keith had cut the string. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t want to pick that string up off his floor and tie it back on. He doesn’t though. He can’t handle any more rejection. Not again. His soulmate would be better off without someone so messed up. They’d be happier without him. He knew that. Even though as he curled up in his bed, he began sobbing into a pillow hoping for his soulmate to come bursting through his door and tell him he _was_ wanted.

•••

Finally James decided to follow it. He was stronger now. He needed to face his soulmate, even if they didn’t want him. After weeks of travel he finally found himself looking up at an apartment building. It was made of red brick and was about six stories high. It was daunting but it was raining, so he had to go in soon or he’d be soaked. He followed the string up the stairs, to the door to apartment 2B. The rain was staring to sound like a mercy. It was hot, his heart was loud, he felt like it was going to stop or beat out of his chest, his stomach felt like someone had run it over, overall, he wasn’t ready. Though being who he was, he decided to knock on the damn door anyway because well, he’d come all this way for something.

•••

Keith was drinking the green tea Shiro had bought him to help him calm himself when he needed it. Work had been a extremely stressful that day, so, he needed it. He was letting his heavy eyelids fall closed for a late afternoon nap until he heard the knock at the door. Damn, Shiro was getting good at catching him when he was about to ruin his sleep schedule.

•••

“I’m coming Shiro!”  
Shiro? Who was Shiro? Is that why they- that’s why his soulmate cut the string. They had found someone else. James ran as fast as he could. He was wrong he couldn’t handle this. He was so, so wrong. His eyesight blurred and tears began to fall onto the stairs at his feet. He was heaving by the time he was outside, and the rain? Well it felt just about right for how he was feeling.

•••

Keith opened the door to nothing. He didn’t understand until he saw the string. It was moving. They got shorter when soulmates became closer to one another. It was them. His soulmate, why did they leave? He was rejected again. Though this time. There wasn’t sadness. There was anger. He ran after the string, down the stairs to the hall before the front door. And there it sat. The loop and bow where his finger used to be. Gray, lifeless, _loveless_. He picked it up, and color bloomed in the string. He was going to tell this asshole exactly why he didn’t keep that string, because of his soulmate being a person like them.

•••

James sat outside the door of the apartment building. He felt pathetic, sobbing right outside the apartment building where his heart had been crushed to pieces, but honestly, he couldn’t move. He was done, he didn’t want the string anymore, it would just remind him of his shattered heart. As he moved to take it off, it turned a almost black burgundy, not ruby red, not even close. But there was color. He didn’t understand, for that to happen his soulmate would have to be touching it. Caring about it. Why? When he could just stay with Shiro.

•••

Keith opened the door, to see a man staring confusingly at his string. At _their_ string something in the back of his mind told him. He marched up to the figure and as he was about to speak, his throat closed up, his eyes began to water. Why couldn’t he just be angry at this guy? Why did he feel so, hurt? Keith rejected his soulmate before his soulmate could reject him, but he realized now, that he’d never _really_ rejected this man. He’d always held onto him, until this soulmate actually _had_  rejected him.

•••

James looked up to the sound of hiccuping sobs. And as he looked up to the person’s face he saw what they held in their hand. The string. Then he looked into his soulmate’s eyes. They were beautiful. They were almost the same color as his own, and yet, they were infinitely more beautiful. This was his soulmate with tears in both their eyes as they locked. Suddenly, he didn’t feel broken-hearted, he felt light, happy.

•••

As Keith looked into his soulmate’s eyes he instantly felt safe, calm, and protected. His tears stopped and he felt utterly content. Suddenly he knew neither of them would leave the other. It was perfect. He fell to his soulmates side and hugged him. He knew him already, they were meant to be. It would all be ok, now that they were finally  _together._

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to @jamesnkeith on tumblr for giving me the title!! Thank you for all reading this!!! This is the first fic I’ve published, so feel free to give me some feedback on what I can do better next time!!!


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